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Friday, December 24, 2004

Abortion Rights is Not Where Democrats Should Abandon Principle

The LA Times reports that Democratic leaders might reconsider their position on abortion rights. While there perhaps are issues which Democrats should reconsider, support for abortion rights is not one of them.

We are entering an era in which more and more people are voting based upon moral issues as opposed to economic self-interest. By moral issues I don't mean voting for one set of positions favored by the religious right. I'm referring to considering positions such as abortion rights, stem cell research, toleration of different life styles. While the media concentrated on those who came out to vote for George Bush, there are also many of us who voted Democratic based upon opposing positions. If the Democrats do not stand for principles of individual liberty and tolerance, perhaps I might as well vote for moderate Republicans, and enjoy the tax cuts. (The fact that GOP economic policies have actually become contrary to the economic interrests of even those of us in the upper middle class is a topic for a different post).

Democrats must stand firm on some principles to avoid loss of support from those who vote Democratic on principle. When I say abortion rights is an issue the Democrats should continue to support I say this based not nnly on principle, but based upon pragmatic politics. After all, a majority of voters oppose the type of restrictions on abortion favored by the GOP.